On politics in the Golden State

Warren Furutani says he won't seek reelection to Assembly

State Assemblyman Warren Furutani (D-Gardena) says he's taking a break from politics and won't seek another term in the state's lower house.

His decision comes nearly a month after he lost a special election for Los Angeles City Council to replace now-Rep. Janice Hahn (D-San Pedro).

Furutani's stepping aside avoids an intraparty fight with Assemblyman Isadore Hall (D-Compton), whose home was placed into the same newly drawn 64th Assembly District by a citizens commission that adjusted political boundaries last year after the census. Hall had been planning to run for Congress but recently switched back to the Assembly contest.

Furutani has held several elected offices, beginning with the Los Angeles Unified School District board and continuing to the Los Angeles Community College District board before winning the Assembly seat in a special election in 2008. He could have run once more under the state's term limits.

He told the Daily Breeze that he will support Hall for the Assembly seat.